Ken: Is that Zero in the corner?
Akari: Yeah, he's upset that we only got four reviews for the last chapter. That's why we've been behind the wall for so long. Because he refuses to write the next scene until he gets more reviews. But I dragged them out of him eventually.
ExVeemon: *Adjusts polka-dot bowtie* And that's why I'm here to ask the newest question in Zero's place! As his second favorite Digimon of all time! *Side comments* In terms of design. *Out loud* Anyway, the question concerns the newest Digimon Tri episode. Thoughts? For those of you who haven't seen it and want to avoid spoilers, just ignore this one.
Yolei: Where are we?!
Jeri: *Using a handkerchief to wipe away her tears* It was so sad. How the Digimon were hiding such a big secret from their partners. And then they had to forget everything. Oh, but TK, I'm so sorry you had to go through that.
TK: You realize that I'm different from the one in Tri, right?
Leomon: Just give her moment. She'll recover eventually.
Agumon: I kind of resent the fact that I kept thinking about food though. I mean, sure, I'm always hungry but that's not all I ever talk about!
Guilmon: Is it wrong to always talk about food, Takato?
Takato: Huh? Oh, well, there are times when you shouldn't be thinking about food. Like during a big exam or something.
ExVeemon: And there you have it, folks!
Kouji: Eh? But they barely answered the question.
ExVeemon: We hope you guys enjoy the newest installment and don't forget to leave a review saying anything. Twenty chapters and 115 reviews is kind of pathetic in comparison to ten reviews per chapter like in Children of the Present. So be sure to do so and cheer up our writer! Or else the wait will be agonizing. Enjoy!
Takuya: Hold on! Did Zero give you script?!
-X-
December 25: Rocky Field - 2:07 PM
Digital Analyzer: Cannondramon is a mechanized dinosaur Digimon with armored plating on his legs, back, and spine. While this increases his defenses exponentially, the real concern is the firepower in the three cannons attached to his back. A truly dangerous foe.
"Random Laser!"
The energy beams that Sparrowmon shot out seemed to do no damage on the dinosaur whatsoever. If it did do any damage then there was no signal to tell them so. The two human-like beings that were beside the cyborg Digimon shapeshifted into their digital forms and fired restraints.
"Pesky little insect!" Arukenimon cackled. "Let's see you move around after this! Spider's Thread!"
"Allow me to join you, sweetie," Mummymon laughed. "Snake Bandage!"
Sparrowmon didn't dare let up in her speed, actually accelerating and sharpening her metal wings as she zipped right through the sticky web and electrified gauze. "Wing Edge!" She tore right through them before turning at a ninety degree angle straight up and then performing an ultra-tight U-turn. "Crash Boom!"
The HoneyBeemon helped Kari stand on her shaking feet, leading her back into the tunnels where it would be safer. Nyaromon had passed out in the girl's arms. As for Nene, no matter how hard the third bug tried to pull on her jacket, she wouldn't budge. Her eyes were solely focused on the four afterimages that her partner produced as she crashed into Cannondramon's back.
"It's no use," the General shook. "Cannondramon's defenses are too high."
Sparrowmon tumbled off the back and Cannondramon whipped the metal bird down to the solid ground using his tail. She squirmed free before the two Ultimate Digimon could make their advances on her and started firing her lasers at them. But they were countered by gunfire from the Mega.
"You can't win," Arukenimon snickered.
"Not when it's one against three!" Mummymon laughed.
"They're right," Nene murmured. "Why won't Sparrowmon listen to me?!"
HoneyBeemon stared at the trembling brunette and turned back to the battle. He watched as Sparrowmon swerved past the web and the bandages and the ammunition, launching her own attacks but inevitably getting beaten back. Still, she continued to keep herself airborne.
"You know, I had thought that Ranamon was the epitome of strength and beauty," said HoneyBeemon. Nene's palms were pressed to the ground, pebbles sinking into her skin, but she listened. "I believed that no matter who Ranamon fought, she would come out victorious. But then Kazemon came along."
"Zoey?"
The insect nodded, pulling out a paper fan with the blonde's face on it. Who knows where he got it. "She was graceful and beautiful and despite being poisoned and in a place where she was at a disadvantage, she never gave up. She beated Ranamon. And she fought that corrupted Warrior again. Remember? Bokomon and Neemon were so excited to tell us."
"Zoey was in her human form!" Neemon's high-pitched voice cried out from the communication device.
"And she ran right up Calmarimon's tentacle!" Bokomon added. "And landed a kick on her head!"
"Like kablam!"
Zoey's voice joined in, sounding a little sheepish from the way her two digital friends were describing her fight. "Oh come on, anyone could've done the same. To be honest, I was really lucky not to have fallen off while running up there."
"She beated Ranamon again," said HoneyBeemon. "Overwhelmed her. Because she believed she could win and because others believed in her."
Nene turned back to the fight at the same time Cannondramon used his Grenade Storm attack. The Armor Digimon dragged the girl back underground where they would be safe from the raining ammunition but it was Sparrowmon that was in real danger. The golden bird was soaring through the skies, trying her absolute hardest not to get struck down as she flew.
"I… can't lose," Sparrowmon huffed. "Mervamon isn't here… and Etemon is… gone. I have to… protect Nene… at all costs. Random Laser!"
"Snake Bandage!"
The blasts from the gun at Mummymon's side countered the laser beams. Once that was done, Arukenimon used her surprisingly fast legs to carry herself up Cannondramon's back and then leap off. As she was tumbling down, she released a spider web that caught Sparrowmon and cracked her down onto a boulder.
"Sparrowmon!" Nene yelled.
"Won't… give up…," Sparrowmon moaned.
Arukenimon was laughing riotously as she joined her comrades. "Alright Cannondramon, finish her off!"
"Butterflymon, Monitamon Reload!"
The armored insect immediately flew out and picked up her comrade, flying out of the way of the bullets that Cannondramon fired. Right after, Hi-VisionMonitamon jumped in front of the trio of enemies, calling down a lightning bolt from the sky with his Thunderous Lightning Attack. As one would expect it did nothing to Cannondramon but it was able to fry the circuits of the other two a bit.
"How dare you?!" Arukenimon screeched. "My hair!"
Mummymon raised his cherished firearm into the air. "You'll pay for that! Necrophobia!"
To their surprise, the Ultimate somehow summoned an army of gray ghosts, each one with a set of sharp teeth. They were charging towards Nene's partners and chomping but almost as soon as they had appeared, they vanished as bullets rained through them.
"B-Beelzemon?!" Arukenimon blanched.
"I thought he was injured!" Mummymon gasped.
If there was any Digimon that the pair feared in Nene's army, it would be the winged demon holding up his cannon-arm. "Nene's army can heal faster than normal thanks to the Hi-VisionMonitamon and their Healing Sky Light ninjutsu." He then turned over to Nene. "I'm not fully healed yet though."
"I know," the idol nodded. "But we need you on the battlefield now." Taking a deep breath, she directed herself towards Hi-VisionMonitamon. "While Beelzemon and Butterflymon distract the enemy, you take Sparrowmon and heal her. Once that's done, move on to JP and Nyaromon. Beelzemon and Butterflymon, you two will stick to flying tactics, you're not as fast as Sparrowmon so be careful."
"Roger that!" all of her partners bellowed.
Kari looked up at her classmate, Nyaromon nuzzled into her bosom. "Nene, you're finally acting like a General again, huh."
Each gunport on Cannondramon's back altered their trajectory and pointed skywards, where Beelzemon and Butterflymon were floating. The beast reared back his head and let out a mighty roar before firing beams and munition from every barrel. "Dynamo Cannon!"
Beelzemon raised his firearm just as Butterflymon hid behind his back. Without worrying about the stray bullets and beams that would overshoot him, he focused on taking out the direct munitions coming for him. "Double Shot!" This not only preserved his energy but kept them safe.
However, during this firestorm, Arukenimon and Mummymon were scampering towards the hole where Nene and the others were hiding. They had toothy grins on their faces as they were preparing to do battle. But just before they reached it, the three HoneyBeemon flew out and landed a triple drop kick on them. To complete the blow to their egos, they spread their paralyzing powder over them to keep them immobile.
Hi-VisionMonitamon, having nearly finished healing Sparrowmon, whipped around and raised his antenna to the air. "Whirling Wind Tunnel!"
"My hair can't take much more of this!" Arukenimon screeched as the pair were blown high into the sky.
Mummymon managed to swim through the air to throw his arms around her. "At least we have each other!"
"That makes things worse!"
Once they became a twinkle in the sky, the group returned their focus on the other airborne pair. But unfortunately, the view was not pleasant. Two especially large missiles blasted both Beelzemon and Butterflymon clear out of the sky, causing them to crash and burn. Nene was able to quickly return them to her X-Loader before the damage could be exacerbated though.
Hi-VisionMonitamon and Sparrowmon narrowed their eyes on the remaining foe. The quadrupedal reptile was obviously too big to be blown away like his sinister accomplices. But they had to do something to protect their beloved partner.
"What do I do?" Nene whispered to herself. "There must be something…"
"Nene, we'll protect you, no matter what," Sparrowmon promised.
"Out of all your partners, we've known you the longest," Hi-VisionMonitamon added. "We know how kind you are, how wonderful you are. We won't let that light inside you disappear."
"Never!" Sparrowmon nodded firmly.
"Light," Kari repeated. She slowly pushed herself up and took Nene's hand in hers. "Nene, I want you to borrow some of my light." The other girl returned this statement with a puzzled expression. "I'm sure it'll help you win. After all, you're one of the bravest people I've ever met even if you don't think so."
Cannondramon pointed his gun ports at them just as a bright pink light flashed between the teenagers. The dinosaur had to take an involuntary step back as he was blinded by the glow, not seeing what the humans were seeing. The transfer of the crest of light from one heart to another, creating a rather fancy letter R.
"This is… your light?" said Nene. She held it up to her chest. "It's warm." Pivoting on her heel, she looked at her partners. "It's for Sparrowmon… right?"
"Nene!" Sparrowmon snapped from inside the X-Loader.
The General flinched, tears flying off her wet cheeks and onto the dry floor. Grains of sand fell from the ceiling and landed in her hair due to the echoing of that shout. The others turned to look at them but returned to their meal when they realized it didn't quite involve them. Though they were certainly eavesdropping on the conversation like it was their business.
"How much longer are you going to cry?" Sparrowmon huffed. "You're a General of the United Xros Heart Army, aren't you?"
"But… Merva…"
"Mervamon isn't the only member of your army!" the avian screeched. "You can… depend on me, you know." Her voice was cracking and she was starting to sniff between every other word. "I'm your… partner too… you know?"
"I know," Nene nodded. "Sparrowmon, you're one of my best friends. I can never forget that. Now… Super Evolve!"
The gunports clacked as they pointed straight at Sparrowmon. "Grenade Storm!" They fired just one second before she was covered in the light of digivolution.
"Sparrowmon Super Evolve to…" Her wings became much more flexible, akin to that of an actual bird though they were still shiny and metallic. Sharp talons emerged from underneath her and four whipping, metal, chain-like tail feathers came from behind her. With a spinning flourish, she completed her evolution and completely blew away the bombs that were shot towards them. "RaptorSparrowmon!"
"Oh!" Hi-VisionMonitamon gasped.
"Go RaptorSparrowmon!" the three HoneyBeemon cheered.
Digital Analyzer: RaptorSparrowmon's new wings allow her to maneuver through even tighter spaces and soar even faster than before. With them, she possesses the ability to make sharper, high-speed turns. They are also made with reinforced, Chrome Digizoid metal, which have now rid her of the disadvantage she once had of materials of the same metal.
Cannondramon didn't seem fazed by this which made sense. The lack of emotions was plenty evidence that he was just a manufactured Digimon created using one hundred Control Spires and Arukenimon's strands of hair. "Grenade Storm!" They were fired high into the air, creating a higher range to cover though it didn't seem like he was aiming for the hole.
"We can just wait it out," Kari remarked.
"That's not quite my style," RaptorSparrowmon smirked. "Besides, if I don't go now, he'll just target you guys."
With that, she shot off like a rocket, causing them to cover their eyes with their arms to keep the dust from her trail from blowing in. But once the debris cleared, they watches with mouths agape as the bird flew right through the missiles. At some point, two energy shells were creating only a narrow passage between them but simply by tucking in her wings, RaptorSparrowmon zipped right through.
"What amazing precision," Nyaromon remarked.
"Ah, you're awake," Kari gasped.
"I healed her," said Hi-VisionMonitamon. "Working with Digimon is a lot easier than with humans so I healed her before JP."
RaptorSparrowmon flew in close to Cannondramon, clawing away with her talons, at the skin and the armor of the cyborg Digimon. But she wasn't having much effect, unfortunately. The good thing was that she had the skills and agility to avoid getting hit. Though there was no chance of winning the battle unless she got on the offensive.
"She has one move," said Nene, looking at her encyclopedia. "But she doesn't possess the physical strength to do it on something so big!" RaptorSparrowmon specialized in hit-and-run tactics but in this case, it was obvious that it wasn't going to do much unless she was fused with powerhouses like Mervamon or Beelzemon.
"What if we fused?" Nyaromon asked.
Nene shook her head. "Wouldn't be enough."
Someone suddenly dropped down into the hole beside them. "What about with us?" Kenta had returned with MarineAngemon buzzing around his head, ready for action. "The others were able to save us and told us to come back here in case you guys needed help. Looks like their intuition was correct."
"Is there a card that can increase strength?" Nene asked.
RaptorSparrowmon and Cannondramon glared at each other, sending sparks in between their eyes. But suddenly, the shiny metal wings changed color and even texture. Judging from the feeling of warmth in her chest, she just knew that it was Angewomon and MarineAngemon.
"Digi-Modify! Hyper Muscle Activate!" Kenta called out.
All three of the digivices were glowing brightly. A pink light covering their bodies.
A surge of energy spiked through RaptorSparrowmon's veins as she shot down and grabbed one of the cannon's shafts with her sharp talons. The barrel was crushed and suddenly, behemoth of the Digimon was hoisted into the air at a phenomenal speed. They were so high up that it became difficult to see them. But in just one second, they closed the distance between themselves and the earth and with a brilliant seismic toss, Cannondramon hit the ground.
"Raptor Grappling!"
"They did it!" Kari cheered.
Nene collapsed with a sigh of relief. "We won… but…" She looked over to where JP was now sitting up with the help of her partner. "It wasn't without casualties…"
December 25: Shibuya Gym - 2:01 PM
The sounds of fists pounding against sandbags, machinery being in use, metal weights hitting metal bars, and sneakers scuffling across the hardwood floors bounced off the walls. There was a boxing ring in the center where a fighter was sparring with his coach. The sheer focus of everyone there was absolutely intense and the air reeked of sweat and musk. They were so focused that no one even noticed the newcomer entering the gym.
Marcus Damon was breathing heavily as he took two big gulps of his energy drink. As he sat down on the bench to start lifting the barbell, the new gym patron walked over to him, offering to be his spotter. Taking one look at the man, Marcus nodded.
"So, how was the Digital World?"
"Kouki," said Marcus, briefly pausing here. "I'm sorry."
The blond man scoffed. "I don't want your pity."
Marcus had heard everything from his friends. While Ivan and Nanami were able to move on, finding new paths to walk on that would allow them to achieve their goals while also benefitting the community, Kouki was left behind. Marcus's fated opponent, the bio-hybrid that could become a Digimon, was unable to find a new path.
"You could've been an officer too," Marcus commented. "Join DATS, like the others did."
"To me, that's just a handout," Kouki replied bitterly. "If I'm going to find a new road to walk upon, then I want to do it with my own power. And the only thing I wanted, was to defeat you."
Marcus stopped lifting, which meant it was time to put the weights back. As the brunet sat up and stretched out his arms, he turned to face the other man, holding out his fist. "How about this? We do one match in the ring. If I win, you go down whatever path I tell you. If you win, then I'll stop bothering you about it."
Kouki was hesitant, but then he bumped his fist with Marcus's. "Sounds like a solid deal to me."
December 25: Rocky Field - 1:58 PM
The memory plays back once more. A blast wave wrecking an entire town. Screams fill the night air as a stampede of Digimon run for their lives, fleeing their burning homes and collapsing buildings. They don't know until they're out whether or not they've left behind friends or family. All they know is that they're escaping a whole world of smoke and fire.
"Davis!" Raidramon barked. "Don't zone out on me now!"
The brunet vigorously shook his head before looking up at Kimeramon flying ahead. A squirming Kenta trying to break free of his grip. "They want Mount Olympus that badly, huh," Davis muttered. "We can't let them have it!"
"Right!" the Armor Digimon roared. His bolt-shaped horn crackled to life. "Blue Thunder!"
BeoWolfmon was running alongside the quadrupedal Digimon so he leapt into the air and fired a myriad of homing missiles. "Let me join in. Cleansing Light!"
Kuzuhamon floated in the way of the attacks, creating a magical barrier that protected the Frankenstein Digimon. But as soon as the shield went down, Sakuyamon dropped down from above, coated in flames, pinning the other sorceress to the ground. This meant that the guys could focus on just one target.
"You guys save Kenta!" Sakuyamon shouted.
"No problem!" Davis responded.
As the guys went off, the two magic-users were having a standoff. The pair circled around each other, both holding up their staves in defensive positions.
"Let me ask you this," Sakuyamon stated coolly. "Where are you detaining my friends? Ryo, Suzie, their partners, and Impmon."
Kuzuhamon cocked her head to the side. "You speak so protectively of them. It's such a shame that not all humans are like you, then maybe we could avoid conflict." She lunged forward, swinging her staff, but it was blocked by her golden twin.
"What do you mean?" Sakuyamon grunted.
"Humans... are evil," Kuzuhamon answered simply. "Spirit Strike!"
Sakuyamon swiftly erected a barrier between herself and the attack. Inside, Rika mentally took a look at each and every one of her cards, meticulously picking out the ones that wouldn't do her any good in this specific situation before materializing one in her hands. All of that took about half a second for her to do in real time.
The bio-merged Digimon sped up exponentially, flying right for her opponent but just when she was a yard away, she split into two separate bodies. A Hyper Speed card followed by a Doppleganger card. And she wasn't even done yet. Using a Fox Card to seal Kuzuhamon's power, she leapt into the air.
"Flaming Fox!" "Thunder Kick!"
Kuzuhamon held up a hand in a praying gesture and the air wavered for just a second. The talisman that had been stuck onto her suddenly disintegrated into powdery dust, allowing her to use another Spirit Strike attack to take down the clone and burn the real one. Then, jabbing her staff into the ground, she lifted herself and made a back kick on Sakuyamon's thigh, sending the foe flying.
"She can get rid of Fox Card?" Sakuyamon huffed when she landed, skidding across the gravel.
"It's to be expected," Kuzuhamon replied. "I am Laylamon's right hand, after all."
The two women shot forward, using their weapons to clash against each other, causing sparks to fly. On occasion, they would summon flaming fox-like spirits to strike their opponent down. But every move was either being copied, and thus, countered. If Sakuyamon gave herself a power boost, Kuzuhamon would move into the defensive by creating a barrier but right after, she would counterattack.
"That's some skill," Sakuyamon whispered breathlessly.
"You're holding back on me," Kuzuhamon stated, as if able to read her mind. "Unlike me, you possess four fox familiars as opposed to my one. You have a myriad of attacks in comparison to mine. So why do you underestimate me? It brings dishonor to my name!"
Sakuyamon hadn't realized that she was so transparent. "That's why. You fight honorably and you felt no pain to my evil dispersing attack. So why are you on the side of the Demon Lords? Why are humans evil to you?"
"Not just humans," Kuzuhamon stated. "And if you won't fight seriously, I'll just have to finish you! Reverse Izuna!"
"Crystal Sphere!"
Sakuyamon shielded herself from the blazing spirit before holding up her free hand in a prayer gesture. A bell chimed from her heart and expanded outwards, suddenly causing Kuzuhamon to freeze in her movements. Looking down, the priestess found that she had gotten stuck inside a magic circle, created by her foe when they were dancing around across the field.
"When did you…"
"In the north, Kaen-no-Netsuretsu," Sakuyamon stated. A fire-attributed fox spirit appeared on that end of the circle. "In the east, Kaze-no-Shizuka." Wind. "In the south, Mizu-no-Reisei." Water. "In the west, Kaminari-no-Hayai." Lightning. "With the four of you by my side, gift me with your will and present a new Fox Card."
Kuzuhamon let out a gasp. "A permanent sealing spell?"
"Seal!"
The four fox spirits started circling around their captive at a phenomenal speed before closing in and passing through her. Suddenly, a pillar of light was erected around Kuzuhamon and she found the sealing talisman's characters on her bare stomach.
"Tch," Kuzuhamon scoffed. "I've lost."
The only possible way to break this sealing spell was either to have the caster undo it or for the caster to pass away. But without any of her powers or spells, there was no way to match up with Sakuyamon. She had to concede defeat no matter how much she didn't want to.
"Lift your head, I will not delete you," Sakuyamon stated. "I've allowed you to keep your power of flight so you can return from where you came from."
Kuzuhamon's head snapped up. "What you've given me is a fate worse than death! I have disgraced my mistress by allowing this to happen to me! Is sparing me your method of trying to get me tell you where your allies are?!"
"No!" Sakuyamon snapped. "I do this because I don't think you're evil." Having met all the other Chosen Children really has changed her. "As Sakuyamon, I'm able to stop you from doing evil without having to take your life. In the past, I did not have this gift."
"Evil?" Kuzuhamon grumbled. "I am not evil."
"And you seem to have the impression that I am. Or at least, the half of me that is human," Sakuyamon replied. "Either way… I cannot kill you." She turned around, her heels clicking against the solid ground. "I need to go save my friends now."
Kuzuhamon watched as the other woman took off, leaving a trail of dust in her wake. For a couple of seconds, she stood there, silent, not sure of what to do before picking up her fallen staff. Turning on her heel, she flew back to Lady Laylamon.
As for the two Chosen giving chase to Kimeramon, they were having trouble trying to get him to stop moving. Raidramon attempted to bite off the tattered Airdramon wings once he got onto the beast's back. But he was thrown off pretty easily. BeoWolfmon tried a different tactic, running in front of the creature and then using his blades to cut but he froze midway when Kimeramon held up Kenta as a shield.
"Gah!" BeoWolfmon grunted as he was backhanded out of the way.
"We need Magnamon!" Davis huffed, pulling out his D-3 and D-Terminal.
Raidramon skidded to a halt so that the brunet could dismount quickly and evolve him into the golden warrior. As Magnamon, he took off after the flying menace and got ahead, latching onto the Kabuterimon horn at the top of Kimeramon's head. Using all of his strength, he was able to keep him from moving.
"Heat…"
Magnamon's eyes bugged out. It was difficult enough trying to restrain his movement. There was no way he would be able to block that powerful attack at the same time. Luckily, he didn't need to as he let go at the last second just as BeoWolfmon rammed his heel into the side of Kimeramon's face, causing him to miss. Though the shockwave that was generated was enough to blow them back a bit.
"So this is Kimeramon's power…," BeoWolfmon exhaled.
"He's not someone we can underestimate," Magnamon remarked.
Kenta was free from the monster's grasp thanks to his friends but just as he took out his D-Power, Davis told him to head back to the others waiting in the hole. It was a bad idea for their strongest fighters to all be in one place. And the fact that the others didn't follow meant that trouble had found them.
"Okay," the bespectacled teen nodded. "Just be safe."
"You too," Davis called back before focusing on the task at hand.
Kimeramon was using all four of his mix-and-match arms to try and swat down his flying opponents while trying to evade the bullets of lights firing at him. BeoWolfmon and Magnamon had the advantage in terms of speed and their size allowed them to maneuver through his movements. But just like many of their old enemies, Kimeramon was stronger than he used to be.
"Heat Viper!"
The shockwave was enough to push them back despite not even getting directly hit by the attack. It was starting to exhaust them and it showed in their heavy breathing. They were constantly flying back and forth and around and around just to evade direct collision.
"That's some intense power and heat," BeoWolfmon huffed.
"We've got to keep going though," Magnamon growled. "Magna Blast!"
"I know that!" BeoWolfmon barked in return. "Frozen Hunter!"
Kimeramon easily dodged their attacks with his powerful wings, getting in close and using all of his arms to swat down on them. "Scissor Arms!" Luckily, the pair was able to weave through the physical blows but once more, the shockwaves were knocking them through the air. At some point, their heads made impact with each other.
"Let's try separating," Magnamon suggested. So the Warrior gave the golden fighter some room before Magnamon sent a shining fist towards Kimeramon. "Magna Punch!" Unfortunately, it was blocked by the Kuwagamon claw. "Magna Kick!"
"Death Claw!"
The swipe from the Devimon claw was able to counter the Royal Knight's kick and send him to the ground. But unfortunately for him, while he was distracted by this one warrior, he hadn't noticed the one approaching from behind at a breakneck speed. His golden blade reflecting the bright afternoon sun.
"Beo Saber!"
"It's a hit!" Davis cheered.
'No,' BeoWolfmon realized. 'My blade didn't even pierce his skin. So not only is his appearance, strength, and speed monstrous, but his defense as well.' Kimeramon twisted around, his powerful Garurumon leg clamming into the Warrior's chest, sending him down like a meteor. "This isn't good."
Magnamon saw his chance when Kimeramon turned to make that kick. "Shining Gold Solar Storm!"
Kimeramon was hit with a golden beam at full force. This was the Royal Knight's strongest attack so hopefully, it would do some damage, no matter how tough his skin was. But despite the absolute power this beam exuded, Kimeramon was still pushing forward, headfirst with his tough, hardened skull. The horn of the head crashed into Magnamon, crushing him deeper into the earth.
"Heat Viper!"
"At point blank?!" Davis blanched.
A massive explosion rang out through the air as a badly bruised Veemon tumbled out of the destructive dome. Before Kimeramon could continue his onslaught of attacks, BeoWolfmon got in the way, using his blade to push him back. It wasn't very effective, but it somewhat worked. Well, enough for Davis to go to his partner's side.
"Sorry, Davis," Veemon coughed. "I really thought I had him."
The Chosen Child nodded, holding his partner close. "I know. It's okay."
"Heat Viper!"
BeoWolfmon looked back to the defenseless pair behind him. There was no way they would be able to dodge the attack. So the Legendary Warrior couldn't do much besides try to shield them himself. Even though he knew that he would probably be destroyed in the process.
"Kouji!" Davis shouted.
"Digi-Modify! Magical Boost Activate!" "Crystal Sphere!"
BeoWolfmon saw the sparkling barrier cover him in the nick of time, just as the Heat Viper hit them directly. Sakuyamon, with her hands up to maintain the orb, was really straining to keep it together as they were slowly being pushed back. Davis and Veemon quickly tumbled out of the way as the ball crash landed.
"Thanks," BeoWolfmon exhaled. "You saved me."
Sakuyamon whacked the Legendary Warrior on the head with her staff. "Are you nuts?! You could've at least tried to save Davis without having to leave a boatload of guilt on him!"
"I wouldn't have made it!"
"And how do you know that without trying?!" Davis snorted. "What is so funny, mister?!"
The boy couldn't help cracking up after that. "I see it now! I see what Renamon was talking about! You really are the mother of the group."
Sakuyamon and BeoWolfmon blinked a couple of times before laughing themselves. It ended rather quickly when another Heat Viper shot towards them. The bio-merged Digimon quickly erected another shield, using another card to increase her magical power.
"Alright, then as your mother, let me give you some of my strength," Sakuyamon huffed.
"Are you sure?" Davis blinked.
"Don't worry, I'll never make the same mistake as I did five years ago in the D-Reaper," Sakuyamon grinned. "I'll never leave my own body defenseless again. But Davis, the last time we communicated with the others, they transferred Stingmon data into your D-Terminal. And Kouji, you got a Digi-Core from the Celestial Angels."
"Yeah, but…," Davis looked down, "We've never tried to…"
"Some of the data was lost in the transfer," BeoWolfmon finished. "It's not possible."
"That's why you have me," the Mega told them. "Kaen-no-Netsuretsu and Kaminari-no-Hayai, give these two some of your strength." The flaming and electric spirits appeared by her side, passing through the boys' digivices. "Together, the three of us, can pull off a miracle."
"A miracle," Davis repeated.
"Thank you, Sakuyamon," BeoWolfmon nodded.
All three of their digivices shined brightly. Their bodies were covered in a soft blue glow.
"Veemon Digivolve to… ExVeemon! ExVeemon DNA Digivolve to… Paildramon!"
"Unity Execute! Unified Spirit Evolution… MagnaGarurumon!"
The three of them flew out of the field as soon as the Heat Viper ended. MagnaGarurumon got Davis to safe spot while the others did battle with Kimeramon. Paildramon obviously did not possess the same amount of power as Magnamon but with Sakuyamon attracting the enemy's fire, he was able to fire his Desperado Blaster around the beast in an attempt to find a weak spot.
"There!" Paildramon gasped.
"Scissor Claws!"
"Cable Catcher!"
Using his thick cables, he was able to grab all four of Kimeramon's claws and restrain him. Granted, he didn't have near the physical strength needed to subdue the monster. Thankfully, Sakuyamon was there to assist, grabbing onto the restraints and using a Hyper Muscle card to help slam Kimeramon down to the ground.
MagnaGarurumon shot past them at nitro speed. "Where do I aim?"
"The spot where Garurumon's fur meets Greymon's scales!" Paildramon shouted. Using both his kinetic vision and high-impact attack, he was able to pinpoint the exact location on Kimeramon's body where he flinched upon getting hit. "His stomach!"
MagnaGarurumon closed the distance in mere seconds, before Kimeramon could gather his bearings. "Feral Fire!" Unleashing a hailstorm of bullets from his firearms, Kimeramon's weak spot was hit over and over again before the Legendary Warrior increased his speed one-hundred fold and crashed right into the behemoth.
"Direct hit!" Sakuyamon smirked.
"We've won!" Davis cheered.
As Kimeramon went down, he left behind a Fractal code. "Be purified by the light." MagnaGarurumon quickly gathered it into his D-Tector and let the remaining data disappear.
Davis let out a heavy sigh as the others rejoined him. He threw his hands behind his head with a big smile on his face. "I was kind of hoping this match would be tougher so I could see MagnaGarurumon and Paildramon in action some more."
"Honestly, so did I," Rika agreed. "But our combination was pretty good."
"If we battle together some more, we might even be an unstoppable team," said Veemon, his eyes sparkling like diamonds.
Kouji crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, all signs of an irritated fellow. "This isn't the time to be talking about things like that. We should get back to the others."
"Ah," Davis blinked. If Rika was the mother who was to take care of everyone, and JP was the older brother who looked after everyone, then that would make Kouji the strict father. "You keep us in check and make sure we don't get sidetracked. Papa Kouji!"
Rika snorted.
"Hah?!"
December 25: Shibuya Gym - 2:12 PM
Kouki always prided himself in his strength, his swift punches and clever movements. The way he would confound his opponents by showing them power in contrast to his lanky build. The way he would stun them with quick acrobatics, keeping them on their toes.
But Marcus wasn't like one of his usual opponents. Despite that, he still felt confident in victory since he's been working out daily without much else to do. No matter what kind of giant digital monsters Marcus has faced in the last five years, Kouki should have the advantage.
One minute. That's how long it took for Marcus to knock him out.
"Tch… I lost," Kouki groaned, a hand on his face. Without realizing it, he had started crying.
Marcus stood over his fallen opponent. For a few seconds, he was silent, but then stated, loud enough for the whole gym to hear, "That was a fun match."
Kouki flashed his foe a big toothy smile before taking Marcus's hand, pulling himself up. "Next time…" He wiped away the tears from his cheeks. "Next time, I'll definitely crush you. No matter what, I'll find a way to defeat you."
"Yeah, I look forward to it," Marcus grinned.
The path that Marcus offered to Kouki was to follow the one his fiery heart wanted. If that meant what he was doing now, traveling the country on a motorbike and doing whatever, then he should stick to it. But if the wind were to take him somewhere he would like to stay, then he should try it. Sharing one more fist bump, Kouki took off. Wherever the wind was going to take him next.
December 25: Rocky Field - 2:21 PM
JP was stable enough to stand by the time Davis's group rejoined them. They took a moment to build a wooden grave for Cherrymon before getting a move on. They were the only team going to the Kingdom Town by foot so they couldn't afford to waste any time.
Nene and JP were given a ride on Sparrowmon's back so they glided through the tunnels while trying their hardest to stay conscious. Kari had fallen asleep on Beelzemon's back while Rika cradled the exhausted Nyaromon in her arms. It was a bad idea to take their strongest forces away. They should've stayed back. Maybe then, Cherrymon wouldn't have…
"Hey," Davis stated, getting their attention. He had lagged behind so they all had to turn around to face him. "Rika, Kouji, Kenta, I know what you guys are thinking. But let's say I stayed behind. Sure, things would've been better on Kari's side. But what about you guys? What would've happened?"
Come to think of, while Magnamon definitely would've been a lot of trouble for Cannondramon, it would've been bad had Kouji been by himself against Kimeramon. Granted, he wouldn't have made that risk move at the end. But it might've been harder to save Kenta. Hell, Kenta might've died!
If Rika had stayed behind, a whole other set of problems would have arisen. Kuzuhamon was a perfect defensive wall and it was likely that Kimeramon would've been able to get away in the end had she remained as his bodyguard. Thus, causing them to lose Kenta to the Demon Lords in the process.
Had Kouji remained, the end result would've been a rematch between Kimeramon and Magnamon. They saw the results when it was two against one. Just like in the situation in which Davis stayed behind, it would not have been pretty for any of them.
"Yeah, you're right," Nene nodded. "We've got to keep looking forward."
"We can't succumb to grief so easily," Rika agreed.
"We can keep going," JP groaned. "One step at a time."
Davis exhaled before looking down at DemiVeemon. Keeping up morale in a situation like this was the job of anyone who wasn't down in the dumps. Usually, that would be TK. But Davis knew when he had to step up to the plate this time around. Even if that meant hiding away his own concerns.
Magnamon is a Royal Knight so why was he having so much trouble against Kimeramon, even with a capable assist from the powerful Legendary Warrior of Light. Furthermore, in the past, when an old enemy came back to life, their upgrades were never so high to the point of giving so many of their strongest fighters that much trouble. Well, there was Armageddemon. But that guy was far more monstrous than Kimeramon to begin with.
"Davis?" DemiVeemon muttered.
The brunet flinched. "Huh?"
"The others are leaving us behind."
Davis shook his head vigorously. Usually, he only ever spaced out in class. But there was one other thing concerning the fight from before that preoccupied him.
'Why didn't my crest glow?'
December 25: Tower of Lust - 2:45 PM
Like a teen goth girl's bedroom, everything was black. From the bed to the wallpaper to the books in the ebony bookshelf. Gloomy, spiky structures protruded from various places, like the bedframe and the mirror as if they were devil's horns on a demon's head. The only source of light were candles hanging and on top of nearly everything except the sheets. The whole place smelled of cinnamon.
Laylamon sat in front of the circular, reflective surface, calmly running a brush through her hair as she hummed a tune to herself. The sound of heels clicking alerted the Demon Lord to the presence of her subordinate appearing right behind her. Looking at Kuzuhamon's reflection in the surface, Laylamon's lips curled into a sweet smile.
"You don't have to be so stiff, my dear," Laylamon laughed. "I understand that you lost. Sakuyamon are naturally stronger. But that doesn't mean you should make such a long face."
Kuzuhamon's mask made it difficult to see her expression, especially when she kept her head down. But her mistress seemed to have a knack for reading her emotions no matter where she was looking. "Even so, I apologize for my failure."
Laylamon turned around in her little throne, using the brush to lift up Kuzuhamon's head from under her chin. "Now this won't do," she giggled. "I can't have one of my lovely dears losing confidence in herself. You have nothing to worry about." She turned around again and Kuzuhamon nearly fell backwards upon seeing the wide, bloodshot eyes and sinister smile on her mistress's face. "We will surely crush them next time."
Kuzuhamon found herself standing in front of Laylamon's special room. Thoughts of the enemy that she fought not too long ago ran through her head. The words she said, repeating.
Inside the room, it was pitch-black, you couldn't even see within arm's length though there wasn't anything in there to be touched in the first place. As soon as someone steps inside, seven screens appear, illuminating the empty room. Each one shows a different area of Earth at various time periods. But each one shows an evil image.
Pride.
A woman with an absurd amount of expensive makeup on her face, walking her award-winning, purebred French poodle. The finest designer clothes and the most gorgeous jewelry adorned on her fingers and around her neck. Mentally congratulating herself for looking and feeling better than the commoners around her. Than the people that serve her.
Wrath.
A lone man in the public bathroom, followed by three strangers. A beating. Six fists and feet knocking into the man's face and body, brutally breaking bones and tearing cartilage. Covering the putrid smell of urine and feces with the overwhelming stench of blood.
Envy.
A boy, staring at a couple from afar. He's holding a tube of some mysterious substance and when the man of the couple reaches for a doorknob, he finds that he gets stuck to it. He can't let go of the door and he accidentally bashes his forehead on the edge of the wood. A nasty bruise forms on his skin.
Greed.
A man in a business suit, seated in a carpeted living room with his hands folded, chin resting on them. A woman sits across from him and she has her palms on the floor, knees on the floor, forehead to the floor. She's pleading for him to let her out of some contract. But he waves the papers in her face and rubs his fingers together. She owes him an immense amount of money.
Lust.
A man in a hotel room, a little tubby, balding head, and wrinkles all over. There's a knock at the door and a big smile appears on his unattractive face. And he opens it to find a thin woman in a daring violet dress. They kiss, but the act almost seems violent.
Sloth.
A college girl in her dorm room. She's continuously asking her roommate to do everything. Clean the room, do the laundry, buy more soda, and other mundane daily activities that could surely be done if she just got out of bed. But the freshman would much rather watch Netflix and eat corn chips. But as soon as she's asked to make something in the kitchen, she stands there, not knowing what to do next.
Gluttony.
A portly woman with a tub of ice cream in her lap and a small shovel in her hand as she sits on the leather couch. Every move she makes, even the slightest shift in her weight, causes the floorboards to creak underneath her. She needs a scooter to get to places. A relative to grab something from the tallest shelf. Unlike the previous image, this one wants to do things, but is too busy stuffing her face or too heavy to actually get them done.
Kuzuhamon clenched her fists so tight, they became numb. "Humans… are evil."
-X-
It looks like this group was able to overcome their obstacles though it was certainly more than troublesome. At least they were able to access new evolution paths. But does this mean they have a clear path to their destination? And what about Kuzuhamon? What is her path? Find out on the next Digimon: Children of the Future!
So, those of you that know me know that I usually update in a pattern. But I haven't really been in the mood to write for Past lately. I'll certainly finish it but for now, I'll probably focus more on this story. However, due to reviews becoming stagnant, motivation for this story has also declined. Again, I've already promised not to give it up so don't worry about that. But can you please leave a review in the box below? Thank you for reading, I truly appreciate it.